Bullying and its Side Effects

Bullying is a problem encountered by scores of kids, often regardless of their background or personal merit. While some bullies do target children of a certain appearance or demeanor, nearly any child may be susceptible to bullying, and the effects can be devastating both during childhood and later on in life. Understanding how the experience of bullying can impact a child's well-being is an important part of effectively responding to the issue, and parents, educators, and other caregiving adults should be aware of the challenges typically faced by victims of bullying. From basic psychological reactions to the development of serious medical conditions and other possibilities, there are many ways in which bullying can create problems for children at home, at play, and at school.

Though many of the side effects of bullying are psychological, some children may experience physical symptoms that interfere with their enjoyment of everyday life. In many instances of bullying, the aggressive or cruel behavior displayed towards the victim occurs on a regular basis over long periods of time, which can result in the steady development of physical ailments. Some of the most common medical conditions linked to bullying include irritable bowel syndrome, marked by frequently upset stomachs and the urgent need to use the bathroom, along with headaches and other symptoms associated with stress. Along with conditions that develop without the victim's direct involvement, physical effects such as hair loss, skin cutting, and other forms of mutilation may result if a victim feels driven to self-harm in response to bullying.

Not all side-effects of bullying are as easily noticed as these physical symptoms. Many victims of bullying experience mild to severe depression, a condition that can significantly detract from a child's quality of life and may lead to feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, or may lead the victim to believe any attempts to stop the behavior are futile. Along with depression, bullying can create a deep sense of anxiety in children. Kids who are affected by bullying may be afraid to go to school or to participate in certain activities, and may avoid areas at school or around town which they've come to associate with bullying. Far from being minor psychological issues, depression and anxiety surrounding bullying can dramatically interfere with a child's well-being and may lead to additional hardships.

A common response to long-term bullying is a loss of self-esteem, whether the behavior has been unaddressed or attempts to curb the bullying have failed. Receiving insults and jabs about personal appearance, intelligence, or worth is a frequent experience among those being bullied. The repetition of such comments and the idea of being unable to stop the bullying can lead a victim to believe the comments themselves, in turn encouraging more abusive behavior from the bully. A lowered sense of confidence, both around the bully and throughout a child's life, may also result from bullying behavior.

The psychological and physical side-effects of bullying may be able to take a toll on nearly any area of a child's experience. Whether it's a drop in grades or other measure of scholastic or creative performance, a loss of interest in favorite sports or activities, or even a crippled ability to make or maintain friends or enjoy family relationships, the impact can be highly debilitating. Children who are bullied may fail to meet their potential in many parts of life, often due to the belief that they have no potential, or that it has been destroyed. Though not all children who are faced with bullying respond in the same way, understanding that side-effects can be quite serious and may require direct intervention by an adult or professional psychologist is crucial to dampening bullying's impact.

Aside from the damage that bullying may be able to deal to its victims; there are also serious consequences for young people who engage in bullying. Bullies often exhibit abusive behavior as a result of poor psychological adjustment, which may be worsened over time, especially if bullying is carried out undeterred. Children who participate in bullying have a higher chance than most of adopting other delinquent behaviors and many go on to receive juvenile detention or even jail time as a result of their actions. To effectively respond to the problem of bullying, help and support must be offered not only to victims, but to the perpetrators as well.

While some people may believe that bullying is a natural part of childhood or is a positive challenge capable of building character, the potential for significant psychological and physical damage should not be ignored. Recognizing the side-effects of bullying and developing ways to help both victims and bullies themselves is important for adults --or even fellow classmates-- who want to stop bullying behavior and prevent damage to all of the parties involved.